Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Southampton Remedi Hand Beats Hollywood
The Southampton Remedi-Hand is a a myoelectrically driven device (control signals are derived from a flexor tensor muscle pair) with independently driven fingers and a two axis thumb allowing the hand 6 degrees of freedom. The palm of the hand and fingers are made of a light weight epoxy carbon fiber making the total assembly weight less than 500g - even lighter than a real hand.
(Southampton Remedi-Hand)
Dr Paul Chappell, a medical physicist from the University of Southampton in the UK, designed the prototype hand, which uses 6 sets of motors and gears so that each of the five fingers can move independently. This additional flexibility of movement provides a more complete emulation of human hand movement than other prosthetic devices. Dr Chappell remarks:
"With this hand you can clutch objects such as a ball, you can move the thumb out to one side and grip objects with the index finger in the way you do when opening a lock with a key, and you can wrap your fingers around an object in what we call the power grip – like the one you use when you hold a hammer or a microphone."
The Southampton Remedi-Hand also features a remarkably advanced feedback control system. Most prosthetic hands lack any intelligent feedback control system, requiring the user to rely on visual feedback to detect whether an object is slipping out of the hand or if an unnecessarily large force is being applied. The Remedi-Hand uses screen printed thick film piezoresistive resistors and piezoelectric dynamic sensors to provide a cheap and compact solution for detecting grip force and slip of an object from a prosthesis.
(Southampton Remedi-Hand Fingertip Control)
The Southampton Remedi-Hand uses a new type of fingertip that allows direct screen printing of thick-film sensors onto the surface. The fingertip has an array of thick-film sensors deposited on it to both measure the grip force exerted by the independently driven fingers and also to detect the onset of slippage of an object held in the hand. Two types of sensors used: piezoresistive thick-film sensors arranged to detect the force on the finger and piezoelectric thick-film sensors to detect the onset of slip.
Dr Chappell stated that "the aim is to create a hand with the sort of functionality a human hand has but also a sense of touch. This will let the hand know how tightly to grip an object like a coffee cup without dropping it, but not so tightly that it's crushed. It'll also have an integrated slip-sensor which will tell the hand if something is beginning to slip out of its grip so it can grip slightly harder. It'll be quite a clever system."
(Terminator Endoskeleton Hand and Arm)
Science fiction fans have been looking at very shiny robotic hands for a generation now, starting with the prosthetic device given to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars and the endoskeleton arm provided to Governor Schwarzenegger in the Terminator movies. If all goes well, the Southampton Remedi-Hand will be better than even Hollywood imagined.
Read more at the press release.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/8/2005)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 6 )
Related News Stories - (" Medical ")
ErythroMer Artificial Blood
'My chemists are all working on the preparation of the artificial blood.' - Dr. David H. Keller, M.D.
MouthPad Supports Head And Tongue Tracking
'The operation that had transformed half his body... had located the control switchboard in his teeth.'- Alfred Bester, 1956.
Drug Induces Hibernation-Like State In Humans
'... drugged and chilled and stowed in sleep tanks.' - Robert Heinlein, 1951.
Drug To Regenerate Teeth In Humans
'We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,' said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
SpaceX's Starman Tesla Roadster In Space
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
Imagine digging your heels in to a steam horse!
Who First Thought Of A Tin Foil Hat?
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
Warp Drive Tech Back On The Menu
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone
Why can't we get more innovative phone configurations?
Sleep Pods At Daxing International Airport
'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
Robot Baristas Learn Their Trade Without Paying Royalties
'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'
Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'
Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
